because we’ve been in a QB desert between Bradshaw and Ben.

I’m amazed at how the amount of spare QB play they had in the 80’s. It’s probably a significant accomplishment that they made it to the playoffs as often as they did, especially the AFC championship game.

For someone who remembers the NFL in the 80’s (like Blitz, I was making my way through elementary school for much of that decade), was it common to have quarterbacks with stats like these or were these truly below average/fringe NFL players? It seems like I’ve always heard that completion percentages were much lower since the passing game was more vertical but that could be bad memory or my part or just plain bad information.

I moved to Pittsburgh from Israel at the age of 7. It was the summer of 1979. That fall my father took me to a pirates playoff game. Some drunk accidently spilled a full beer on me. I didn’t matter I was in heaven. Omar Mareno was my hero. The stadium pa played we are family, and I thought that we had come to the coolest place on earth. That winter the Pittsburgh Steelers won the superbowl. I watched my new found heros on a 13 inch TV with rabbit ears. I was convinced that Pittsburgh was not only the coolest place on earth, but that it was somewow also blessed (perphaps even by my presence).

I was 7 and I was a very happy sports fan.

And then came the 80’s. My pirate heros were disgraced. Willie Stargell was dealing speed in the lockeroom. Dale Berra was dealing coke. Apparently the Pirate Parrot (for cryin out loud!) was the supplier. Dave Parker’s cocaine use caught up to him and he began playing poorly. He had to take to wearing a batting helemet in the outfield because Pittsburgh fans threw batteries at him.

It was all too depressing.

And the Steelers, while less theatrical in their suckiness, were perhaps an even greater dissapointment. The glory that had blessed the team in the 70’s seemed to taper in the early 80’s. Three straight years of playoff dissapointment were replaced by years of wondering through the playoffless desert.

At the age of 7 Pittsburgh seemed like the center of the world. By the time I reached the age of 14 it seemed to be decaying. The endless list of loser quarterbacks seemed somewhow a perfect reflection of the futility and hopelesness of a place that time was in the process of passing by. The closed, rusting steel mills hovered over the town like the memory of those great steeler teams. The countless talk of a tech recovery seemed about as hopeless as talk of one for the tumb.

Sorry for the drama – but that was growing up in the post dynasty era.

I

Stoudt; One of my least favorite Steeler QB’s of all time. Cliff the Stiff and Stiff Drought were two of his monikers around the ‘Burgh. Stoudt was especially disappointing in his first season of starting in 83. The Steelers had an intense D that year that surged to 9-2 on the strength of their D scoring TD off turnovers. Opposing O coordinators soon figured out that if they played the Steelers conservative (1-2-3 kick) and stayed in a tight game "the Stiff" would make a mistake and their own D would capitalize. 9-2 was soon 9-6 and the Steelers were looking at getting bounced from the playoffs. Bradshaw threw 2 TD vs. NYJ before his arm fell off and Pittsburgh makes the playoffs! Stoudt starts and hits Wayne Capers for 70 yards on the games first play. 3-0 Steelers. Final score Raiders 38 Pittsburgh 3.
I was lucky to be one of those in attendance when Stoudt visited the Maulers in the new league. We booed him unmercifully. Stoudt was tormented with snow balls and jeers. It was a fun day in Pittsburgh.
Malone was a #1 who had Tom Selleck looks and a Mary Selleck arm. He was actually pretty athletic and quick on his feet in college. He played WR in his rookie year due to his athletism and some injuries and actually caught the longest pass in Steelers history (some 90 yards) until recently broken I think. He also blew out his knee playing WR sapping him of his speed and scrambling ability and relegating him to also ran status with his not so impressive arm. His best year was 1984 when he led a band of over achievers to within a Marino of the SB. Dan put up 48 points on a very good D with no answer for the young Marino.
Woodley was a joke. We got him because Miami cut him loose and he had played (and lost) in the SB with Miami. He was worthless.
Campbell was a little guy (from Purdue I think) and the original Drew Brees without the talent. He was under sized and unathletic but he did possess not much of an arm. He was brash and he wanted to win. Very “Bubby Brister” like without the playoff appearance. Like Woodley not much of a QB and another in a long line of players that make me appreciate 7 and what he brings more than many on the site without the hindsite.